Flash Fic Feb
by Karmi Ky
Summary: A prompt challenge collection of 400-700 word drabbles. Various genres, which will be tagged at the beginning of each chapter. Mostly CloTi, but also some AerTi and family bonding. Each chapter/day is a new prompt.
1. Space

**AN:** The prompt for Feb 1 is "Space."

Summary: Tifa is surprised when two men return from a long mission.

Tags: friendship, coming home, reunion

* * *

Tifa polished a glass, served a drink, then reached under the counter for two bottles of ale. Popping the tops, she set them down in front of the waiting customers with a smile, before turning around to serve a few more. They all waved their wrists over the counter, and she saw the credit transfer on her kiosk behind the bar.

Someone whistled at the end of the counter.

"Hey cutie, how's it goin'?"

Tifa flashed a grin. "It's going just fine Reno. Are you two supposed to be in this part of the district?"

The bald man next to him loosened his tie just a little. He hadn't removed his gloves. "We're not on the clock right now."

"And you've got the best bar on _Delta_. All that shit up top? Too many frills."

"We don't even have dancers here," she mused, leaning over the counter with her arms crossed.

"Only pretty lady we need to see is you," the redhead countered.

She laughed. "You don't have to flirt with me to get a drink like everyone else around here tries to." She reached under, screwed the caps off of two cylindrical bottles, and slid them across the counter to them. Both men swiped their wrists and she heard the kiosk ding.

* * *

She stared out the window for a moment as she cleaned up. The stars in the endless black void twinkled back at her. A ship or two went by, but otherwise it was almost totally dead out there. If she only went by what it looked like outside, she'd never be able to tell the time - there was no changing sky to alert her. But she could feel the fatigue in her bones. And when she checked the time, she saw it had been about twelve hours since she started her shift.

"You're the owner of this bar, why the hell do you work so much?"

Tifa turned back and began wiping down the counter. Her short-haired friend swung her legs over a stool on the other side.

"Yuffie, I like working."

The younger woman shook her head. "Why spend all your time working?"

Tifa shrugged. "Not a whole lot else to do on this station."

"Not a whole lot to do on _Delta_? Are you out of your mind?"

The front door opened. Yuffie rolled her eyes at the cheery woman who walked through.

"Evening Aerith!" Tifa greeted.

Aerith came and sat at the bar next to Yuffie. "Good evening ladies."

"How's the shop doing?" Tifa asked.

"Just as well as a flower shop can on this rock."

"Flower shop my ass," Yuffie mumbled.

Aerith pushed her lightly on her shoulder. "Why do you dislike me?"

Yuffie smacked her lips. "Aren't you a little too jolly for a girl who runs guns?"

"Hey, this place closed?" a voice called at the front.

All three women looked to the source. Two men walked through, one with long black, unruly hair. His arm was slung around the other, who had a mess of blonde spikes.

Aerith screamed, jumping up from her seat and running to the taller of the two men. She wrapped her arms around his neck and layered his face with kisses.

"Zack! Oh, by the Goddess!"

He chuckled and held her around her waist.

Tifa fought not to walk too fast to greet them. Excitement nearly trapped the words in her throat, but she managed to say,

"What are you doing here?"

The blonde scratched the back of his neck with a slight smile. "We… had an emergency. This was the closest station."

Her hands shook and she couldn't contain herself anymore. Tifa hugged him around his waist. He returned it.

"Welcome back from your mission, Cloud," she said quietly.

"Thanks," he replied, holding her by her head.

* * *

**AN:** These are actually all caught up on my AO3 account. You can find me there as "Karmi." I'll spend the weekend catching them up here as well.


	2. Time

**AN:** The prompt for Feb 2 is "Time." So... see this as a little continuation of my one-shot "Coffee Shop."

Summary: "I feel so strange like… like I already said that."

Tags: mystery, time-travel, fluff, relationship

* * *

He keeps seeing her, despite the alarm bells ringing in his head not to. Despite his constant and ever-present fear that he's going to hurt her, or something will happen that he won't be able to stop.

As such, he also maintains a strict training regime when he is alone in order to better hone his… powers.

Cloud holds his camera up, focusing on the sight before him. Tifa isn't paying any attention to him, smiling up at the sky as the snow falls. This is their seventh date – or is it their eighth? – and they've decided on a nice day at the park.

He snaps the photo. Only when she hears the shutter does she look at him, startled, and he snaps another one.

"Cloud!"

He laughs as she reaches across the table in an attempt to grab the camera.

"Hey, be careful!"

She pouts. "Can I at least see them?"

Cloud shakes his head. "No. I'm saving these."

"For what?"

He shrugs. "You'll see."

Tifa crosses her arms and turns away from him. He gets up and sits next to her on the other side of the bench.

"I promise they're not bad pictures," he says, kissing her cheek.

She side-glances him. He kisses her cheek again, then her temple. She giggles and pushes him away.

"Fine. I'll let it go." Tifa faces him. "Did you wanna go ice-skating?"

"If it's not too crowded, sure."

He puts his camera back into his bag and slings it across one shoulder. She intertwines her gloved fingers with his and stands.

"So, have you taken photos of anything else today?" she asks as they walk across the lawn.

"Mm. Some birds, a couple of squirrels. Mostly the landscape."

"Can I see those?"

"Tifa," he says with a smirk.

"I won't try to look at the others! I just like your photography! Your pictures are always so nice."

At that, he blushes. "L-later then. I'll show you later."

She hugs his arm in response.

Cloud frowns at the throng of people surrounding the rink. They stop a few feet away.

"Well, it is Saturday," Tifa sighs. "Maybe we should've tried earlier in the morning."

"Why don't we have lunch then? I'll buy. We can go to that noodle shop you like."

Hearing that cheers her up. He revels in her smile.

When they turn to go, a man runs into them, knocking Tifa to the ground.

"Hey!" she shouts.

Cloud bends down to help her up, grabbing her hand, and glares at the man who passes. His blood runs cold when he sees who it is.

The sounds around them cease. Cloud squeezes his eyes shut to concentrate.

_Not today!_

He'd practiced traveling back a few minutes at a time, and he'd definitely gotten better at pinpointing exactly how long. He doesn't want to lose an hour or two like he had the first time this happened just a couple of weeks ago. So, he focuses. And before he knows it, they are standing in front of the ice rink again.

"…should've tried earlier… in the morning…"

Tifa is still holding his hand. She is repeating what she'd said, but this time she sounds less disappointed and more confused.

"What's wrong?" he asks, his nerves still buzzing.

"I… I don't know. I feel so strange like… like I already said that."

His eyes widen.

He realizes he'd been holding onto her when he traveled.

He'd never done it before with another person.

Cloud shakes his head in an attempt to clear his mind, but the alarms are screaming now.

_What if I had hurt her? What if something had gone wrong?_

"Cloud…?"

He squeezes her hand. "Maybe it's just… déjà vu. Come on. We can go to that—"

"—noodle place I like," she finishes.

They blink at each other. His jaw drops. Her brow furrows.

"Cloud… what just happened...?"

Then, she collapses.

* * *

Couldn't help myself with the suspense, I am sorry.


	3. Heart

**AN: **Feb 3 Prompt: Heart.

It's my birthday~

Summary: Sometimes he wondered where… his heart was.

Tags: fluff, love, self-reflection

* * *

Sometimes he wondered where… his heart was.

It flowed through the Lifestream, touching lost loved ones. Those who pushed him on, who protected him, who loved him, and he cherished like almost nothing else. Those he'd lost in tragedy and despair – but he knew that they were happy and no longer suffering.

It was scattered across his past, finding the strings that connected him to who he was then and now. To his younger self, that naïve boy who made a promise and who trained hard with a purpose, but never seemed to quite reach his dreams. To the confused young man who claimed he didn't care about what happened to the Planet, only for saving it to become his only mission, even if it cost him his life. To his lost and forgotten town, where he'd grown up.

To her.

Her heart beat softly in her chest, the rhythmic pounding against his hand on her back. Her breathing was gentle, a whisper against his skin. She was one he almost lost. She was one who had pushed him on, who had protected him as he protected her…

Who loved him, and he cherished more than everything.

The one he'd thought he'd lost on the mountain. The one he began to train for. The one he thought of when he pushed himself to become stronger, so he could be worthy, so he could protect her. The one he thought he'd lost that horrible day, when he had lost everything else, including himself.

The one who stuck by his side. The one who brought him back. The one whose heart called out to him through it all, whose heart he could feel in her smile, in her laugh, in her melancholy, in her tender caress.

He kissed her forehead, and she subconsciously snuggled just a little closer. Her heart beat a little faster for a few seconds, then settled back into its calming rhythm. His own finally began to do the same.

Some nights, when he lied awake, he found himself thinking about where his heart was.

When all along, it had been with her.


	4. Sky

**AN:** Feb 4 Prompt is "Sky."

This could be read as a little prequel to my fic "Gifts," which is up on AO3 and I will cross-post soon.

Summary: "Do you think the stars can see us now?"

Tags: fluff, self-reflection

* * *

These days, whenever he looked at the stars, he felt at peace.

Before, he felt trepidation. Fear. At one point, nonchalance. The stars didn't concern him and held nothing for him.

_"Do you think the stars can hear us?"_

But one day… the things she said made him think more about them.

_"Do you think they can see how **hard** we're fighting for them?"_

The sky held the future. The stars kept their secrets close. The clouds covered their past.

"Cloud?"

His gaze fell to her, long chocolate tresses trailing over one shoulder, ruby eyes trained on him. She almost looked concerned, before a small smile curved her lips.

"You haven't been listening, have you?" she teased.

He returned her smile and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer. She rested her head on his arm and held his hand across her lap.

"I was," he answered.

"Mmhm."

"You were asking about the roof. What we should do with it."

She swung her legs a little. "Well? What do you think?"

He hummed. "I don't know, honestly."

"Okay," she laughed. "Well, I was thinking of either going with… Wutai or Nibelheim."

Cloud nodded against her head. "I can start looking for supplies while I'm out."

She sighed. "You're gone for a week, right?"

"Yeah."

She squeezed his hand. "I'll miss you." She looked up, and he kissed her.

"I'll miss you too. But I'll be back for the Festival."

She leaned back against his shoulder. They were both silent for a while, gazing up at the endless sea of twinkling lights in the sky. The concrete under them was beginning to feel too hard, but neither wanted to get up just yet.

"Tifa?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think the stars can see us now? And how far we've come?"

She wrapped her arm around his waist and snuggled as close as she could. He held her tightly.

"Yes, Cloud. And I think they'd be pretty proud."


	5. Challenge

**AN: **Feb 5 Prompt is "Challenge."

Honestly, not really sure where this came from. I just kind of... let it flow as I went. This one was kind of a challenge for myself honestly, but I had a little time and I wanted to commit!

Summary: Tifa finds it difficult to navigate the abandoned mansion.

Tags: fear, mild angst, confusion, friendship

* * *

This fight was _not_ supposed to be this difficult.

She'd gotten separated from the others in the Shinra mansion. A Dorky Face had cut her off from the group as they searched for clues, and breathed all over her. The underground bunker wasn't exactly a maze, but she couldn't tell her left from her right. Then a swarm of Black Bats attacked, and every time they scratched her, she felt like the life was getting sucked out of body.

And now, another Dorky Face was floating in front of her. As soon as it ambushed her, it cast a curse.

She couldn't yell for help.

She growled silently, kicking the monster into the wall.

_Finally landed a blow!_

It disappeared in a haze. She slumped against the wall and decided to take a breath.

"Tifa!"

Was someone calling her name?

She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Brow furrowed, she tried harder, and felt her vocal cords straining in her throat, but nothing happened. In frustration, she punched the wall over and over again. Still, nothing.

The entire situation was really beginning to grate on her nerves. Her head was swimming.

Tifa bit her lip and stood up straight.

"Tifaaaa!"

They _were_ calling her name! She turned toward the sound of that light voice and followed it. She hoped she could find them before anything else attacked.

_I sound so weak._

Tifa balled her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She hated feeling weak – she hadn't trained all this time just for a couple of dingy bats and floating pumpkins to get the best of her!

Suddenly her forehead connected with a hard surface. She blinked back stars and stared at the wood paneling directly in front of her.

_Stupid. Stupid! You ran right into a wall!_

"_Tifa!_"

She leaned against it with a silent sigh.

_I thought… this was the way…_

Yelling was out of the question. She couldn't make a ruckus. Why couldn't she make any noise?

She slid down and landed on her rump. The cuts from the bats felt deep and looked like they were oozing blood.

_Why am I bleeding so much?_

Tifa squeezed her eyes shut and threw her head back against the wall. No sound. She opened her eyes and could almost feel the seeping darkness of the abandoned manor.

Suddenly it was closing in on her. White eyes danced in the blackness, cackling noiselessly.

_"No, no, stop!"_ she screamed silently.

"Tifa!"

_"Stop!"_

Her fist connected with something.

"Shit!"

Images floated too close to her. Something grabbed her and held her arms down. She thrashed against them.

Softness rested against her forehead. The confusion left her mind.

Emerald eyes sparkled with concern. Tifa's own eyes widened in recognition.

_"Aerith!"_

Still no sound.

"Hold on sweetheart," her friend reassured her. She untwisted something and held it over Tifa's head. It popped. She noticed who was holding her, a fresh bruise forming under his right eye.

"Oh, Cloud, I'm so sorry!"

He let her go and helped her stand. "It's fine."

"Are you alright?" Aerith asked.

Tifa nodded slowly. "Yes… yes, thank you. I tried to follow your voice, but I got lost."

A bright smile. "It's okay. We're glad you're not too hurt."

Cloud's arm was still around her waist, supporting her. Aerith wrapped her own around her.

"Let's get back to the others hm? We can finish exploring later. Gotta fix up those cuts!"

Tifa gnawed on her lower lip. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, Tifa." He began making his way down the hall with her, the flower girl in tow.

Aerith nodded. "We've got you."


	6. Oath

**AN:** Feb 6 Prompt: Oath.

Summary: Tifa confronts him. Cloud makes a new promise.

Tags: canon, angst, anger, pain

* * *

The wind whipped her hair around her face angrily, reflecting the turmoil she was feeling inside. Some of the loose strands stuck to her tear-stricken cheeks, but she didn't care. She wanted him to see what he had done.

She realized, for a split-second, that she _wanted_ to hurt him.

It was so against her nature to want to hurt someone she loved, to _want_ to cause pain to someone close to her. She almost prided herself on being the one to help others out of the pits of their own despair, the one who always had a cheerful word of encouragement.

But damn that. She was _so tired_. She had given so much, everything to him, and even though she understood why he did what he did, she understood why he left, she understood his pain, godsdammit, he was going to understand hers too.

And she knew, with a creeping, horrible satisfaction in her mind, that she was cutting him deep. All week she'd been keeping her distance, little jabs on occasion when she tried to reign in her anger but failed. But now, now she was going to let it all out, and he was going to _listen._

"I asked once… while you were asleep… if you loved me."

He gulped. She shook her head.

"I know I love you," she said, trying to muster as much conviction in her trembling voice as she could. "I know I do, but I'm so _angry_. I hate being this angry. I hate the way this feels, like… like I'm burning on the inside. I thought I'd be able to just let it go, but since you've come back… I realize I can't. That… that _terrifies_ me."

She watched him. He was several feet away, on the other side of the roof, unmoving.

"I don't… want to be mad at you forever Cloud. I don't. I don't…"

Another sob. She held her hands to her chest and collapsed to her knees, exhausted. Finally, she'd gotten it out. All of her fears, all of her heartache, she'd gotten it out. His face was contorted in the most painful grimace she'd ever seen on him, and she knew she'd gotten her point across. At first, he didn't move – maybe he couldn't, finally confronted with what he tried to run away from.

But suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her. She didn't push him away this time, instead clutching his shirt and letting herself cry.

"I'm sorry, Tifa," he whispered. "I know the words aren't enough, I know there hasn't been enough time for you to forgive me."

"I want to, I do, I just…"

"Shh." He smoothed one hand down the back of her head. "You don't have to right now. I understand. I do. I don't deserve to be forgiven so easily. I was so wrapped up in my own burdens, I didn't… I didn't think hard enough about what I was leaving you with."

His voice was shaky. She could hear that he was about to break too.

"But Tifa… I'll never, ever leave you again. I'll never do anything like that again." He paused, then said, "I promise."

She allowed herself to look up and into his eyes. His own tears left wet trails down his face, but she could see his resolve, burning brighter than she'd ever seen before.

"You promise?" she asked. The words were heavy on her tongue. They both knew the weight of making oaths, of what those words meant to them.

"I swear it. I'll never abandon you again."


	7. Inspiration

**AN:** Feb 7 Prompt: "Inspiration."

Happy Birthday Aerith~

Summary: Tifa prepares dinner for everyone. Aerith encourages her.

Tags: canon, fluff, friendship, romantic feelings

* * *

Tifa stood with her hands on her hips, staring at the mass in front of her. There was quite a collection of monster parts and other ingredients in front of her. She hummed, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth in thought.

They'd only left Midgar the day before. She knew the next town was Kalm, but she didn't know when they'd get there, so she wanted to make sure everyone kept their strength up for the journey. After everything that had happened in the past few days, she knew she wasn't the only one who was exhausted. A nice dinner would really lift everyone's spirits, she thought. So that morning when they'd set out, she asked both groups to collect as many appetizing looking monster bits as they could.

"Here! I found these growing closer to the beach."

Aerith reached out with a small basket in her hands. The smell of several herbs and spices filled Tifa's nostrils as she peeked inside. It wasn't what she had in the slums – which still wasn't much – but it would do.

"Thank you!" she answered with a smile. "You found these even in the wasteland?"

"I know there's not a lot, but I figured you could do something good with them."

Tifa blushed at the compliment. She looked away for fear of getting lost in the flower girl's sparkling green eyes and focused again on her task.

"Well… I think I can. I just need a couple of hours. Enough time for everyone else to set up camp."

Aerith hooked one arm with Tifa's. "I'll help! And the boys can worry about camp."

Over an hour later, Tifa finished stirring the pot over the fire. Aerith was washing some bowls made out of hardened shells in a small river nearby. Cloud and Barret had settled for a card game while they waited. Red was curled up at Cloud's feet, his fiery tail swishing silently in the air.

Tifa tapped the spoon against the side of the pot as Aerith approached with their makeshift tableware.

"Dinner's ready!" the brunette called.

Barret laid down one final card with a loud bellow. Cloud cursed quietly under his breath and threw his hand down, getting up and making his way to the fire.

"This smells delicious," Red commented. "As someone with a strong nose, it seems like you turned those monsters into quite the cuisine."

"Wait until you taste it!" Aerith quipped, holding a bowl up for Tifa to fill.

The former barmaid giggled. "Stop it. I'm just used to making do with what I've got. I hope it's as good as it smells."

Red gripped the bowl in his mouth and went back to his spot. He blew across the top, lapped up a few bites, and nodded.

"I can assure you it is."

They served everyone, and Tifa sat down next to Aerith as they ate. The older woman leaned over.

"You gotta learn to take a compliment!"

Tifa looked at her with wide eyes as she swallowed the soup. "What?"

"You make _great food_. Even out of scary monsters."

"Aerith, I just—"

The flower girl leaned a little closer and kissed her on the cheek. Tifa immediately shut her mouth. Aerith laughed.

"Knew that would do the trick," she said with a grin. "Now eat! And accept our praises!"

Tifa smiled down into her stew and kept eating. She had no problem listening to her. After all, she'd been inspired to make such a great meal because of her new friend's constant encouragement. Tifa just wanted to give something to the others, especially to her.


	8. Weapon

**AN:** Feb 8 Prompt is "Weapon."

Summary: Tifa reconciles with only seeing her body as a weapon.

Tags: canon, angst, fear, family, moving forward, fluff

* * *

Her body was a weapon. She'd worked for years to train her muscles and hone her skills to make sure of that.

She didn't need a sword or a gun, a staff or a shuriken. She didn't need materia.

She was never defenseless as long as she wasn't tied down.

Her knuckles were callused in some places. Her hands had scars. She kept her nails short out of practicality. Sometimes she hated how _un_feminine she was, especially when serving customers with smooth, soft hands, hands with no marks, hands that hadn't seen battle.

Hands that hadn't killed anyone.

But the day she found out her body had become a home… the day she found out her body was no longer a weapon for killing, but instead a shelter for something to grow and be borne of her…

It scared her.

She hated herself for being so _terrified_. Shouldn't she be happy? Shouldn't she be thrilled? Most people were thrilled by this kind of news right?

But there had been so many times in her life where joy was fleeting. There were times where she felt as if she wasn't allowed to feel such happiness. How did she deserve it, when so many awful things had happened to her, when so many around her and close to her had died and would never be allowed such joy again?

She had lost her own mother at such an early age. As time went on, she found it harder and harder to remember her.

Would… would her child lose their mother too? Would something happen to her as well?

She sobbed at the thought. It was silly, she knew, but it invaded her mind anyway.

What if she lost… this little one?

She pulled her knees closer to her chest and cried.

She never really thought, in all these years since her home was taken from her, that she would have this chance. That this would ever happen. And now that it was… she didn't know how to feel or what to do.

"Tifa?"

A small voice called to her from the other side of the door. She lifted her head at the sound, wiping her eyes and sitting up a little straighter against the headboard. She took a deep breath before answering. She had to be strong for them.

Strong for her… kids.

For a second, her answer was stuck in her throat.

Her kids.

She was already… doing it. She was a mother. She had been raising the little girl who was now calling to her since she was four. It's been three years now. Marlene hadn't died, she'd never been seriously injured, and the way she peeked into the room and stared at her with wide, chocolate eyes full of concern, Tifa knew Marlene loved her with all her heart. She was doing a damn good job.

"What's wrong?"

And she loved her too. She loved her so fiercely, she thought she'd burst.

The boy stuck his head in as well. He'd only been with them for a little over a year now, but wasn't he already calling her "Mom"? He'd lost his family too – they all had, she realized. And they had each other now. Their makeshift family wasn't any less valuable or important or loving than one connected by blood.

Tifa smiled at them both and waved them over. They sat on either side of her on the bed and she wrapped her arms around them.

"Why are you crying Mom?" Denzel asked.

She laughed.

"It's nothing… I'm just being silly about something, that's all." Tifa squeezed them tighter and they wrapped their arms around her. "Do you know how much I love you?"

"Of course! You're a really great mom," Marlene chirped.

"We love you too."

She kissed them both on the tops of their heads. Heavy footfalls in the hallway alerted her to one more presence. He stopped in the threshold, leaning against the doorway with a soft smile.

There were times where her body had to be a weapon in order for her to survive. There would probably be times in the future where she would have to use those skills to protect those around her.

But that's what got her to where she is now. To the wonderful family she had made, to her family that would continue to grow.

Her fears would always be there. But she knew that as long as she kept going, as long as she felt this love around her like she did now, that's all that really mattered.

* * *

**AN:** Love this soft family shit~


	9. Food

**AN:** Feb 9 Prompt is "Food."

More cute fluffy bonding~

Summary: Cloud had always been good with his hands. So why couldn't he cook, too?

Tags: canon, fluff

* * *

Cloud had always been good with his hands. He was naturally good with a sword, even without mako or Jenova cells. He'd always been mechanically inclined, customizing Fenrir to his heart's content, the only limitations being parts.

So why couldn't he cook too? That's what Tifa thought anyway.

"I'm going to teach you how to make chocobo noodle soup today!"

She was excited now, but when he'd first approached her about learning how to handle food, she was hesitant to let him into her kitchen. Tifa wasn't very territorial, but she was extremely protective about her most treasured workspace.

Especially following the Yule cookies incident…

But after promising he'd never turn on the oven without her supervision again, she warmed up to the idea of teaching him. After thinking on it for a few days, she figured,

_"Well you're a fast learner, and you've always been good with your hands."_

So why not?

Only… cooking made _him_ nervous. She'd gotten over her fears of him burning their house down, but he was afraid of messing something up or wasting some of her precious ingredients, most of which _he_ had procured himself.

But her constant, loving encouragement and winning smile won him over every Monday night.

"Okay. We're going to start with the chocobo. I showed you how to cut these last week right?"

He nodded. Taking the knife in one hand, he began carefully slicing. He was slow at it, not nearly as fast as her, but he cut the breasts into even enough chunks at his own pace.

"Now, we have to cut the herbs. What's the rule?"

"We have to use a different cutting board for herbs and veggies."

"Why?"

"Cross-contamination."

She beamed at him. "Alright. Let's do this together."

An hour later, they'd finally combined most of the ingredients. She showed him how to season the meat and set it in the fridge to marinate. The broth simmered with potatoes, carrots, a green vegetable called celery (he learned that today), and some assorted spices. She placed the lid on the pot.

"We'll let that go for another ten minutes or so," she said as they washed their hands.

"How do you cook without… really measuring anything?" he asked as he leaned back against the counter.

She tilted her head, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I measure some things."

He shook his head. "Sometimes you just say, "this much should be enough," or "it'll boil for a few minutes." There's not a whole lot of… exactness."

Tifa hummed, tapping her finger against her chin. "Well, it's about taste mostly. I eyeball a lot of stuff. That's why I tell you to constantly taste as you go." She touched her hip to the counter, one arm crossed under the other. "A lot of the time you can tell when something is ready. Mom used to always tell me, "If you can smell it, it's probably done." And she was right most of the time."

"But… the other times?"

She shrugged. "Mistakes happen. Besides, I might not always set timers, but I know how long it takes for something to cook and how long I've been cooking it for. So, it might not always seem exact, but I do a lot of it in my head. You learn how as you keep doing it."

Cloud leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "You're incredible."

She giggled. "I've got to make sure you learn everything I know so one day you can make dinner and I can relax at the bar." Tifa tilted her head toward the fridge. "Get the chocobo out. We're going to stir it in now."

And that night, as they sat around the table with the dinner he'd mostly made, they only made a few faces at the taste. It was a little off from Tifa's soup, but she had smiled at him all the same, and he knew she was proud of his improvement.


	10. Creature

**AN: **Feb 10 Prompt is "Creature."

This one's a little violent.

Summary: There was a woman between them and the grotesque thing in the bedroom.

Tags: AU, violence, mystery, horror

* * *

He'd been called for what he assumed would be another grisly murder.

Captain Verdot had assigned him and a small squad to these cases exclusively. So when his phone started ringing at two in the morning, he knew what it would be. _These_ murders only seemed to happen at night.

When he'd gotten to the residence, his partner was already there, waiting outside of the gate. Cloud noticed it was already open.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Biggs shook his head. "I haven't been here long." He spit out his toothpick. "Don't worry about it Cl—"

There was a flash inside the house on the upper level. They both immediately drew their guns, pointing at the ground.

Cloud nodded. Biggs led the assault, quiet footfalls up the path to the front door. He tried the knob, and the door fell open. The hinges were splintered. They grabbed their flashlights and flicked them on, crossing their arms in front of them in order to search the area.

The first thing Cloud noticed, before he even raised his light, was the heavy scent of iron in the air. Blood splattered the walls and soaked into the carpet of the living room. A body lay there face down, horribly mutilated.

Biggs stalked over and squatted down, holstering his gun and placing two fingers on the victim's neck. Cloud knew it was standard, but neither one of them really needed to check to know what the status would be. Unsurprisingly, his partner looked up at him, shaking his head, and stood.

Heavy thudding upstairs made them train their guns on the ceiling. Cloud tilted his head toward the stairway and Biggs led. The steps creaked as they went, but he figured whomever was up here wouldn't hear them coming over the sounds.

Once they rounded the corner, lights flashing into the master bedroom, he realized that maybe they'd be too engrossed in their fight to even notice. His eyes widened, unable to comprehend exactly _who_ was fighting. Or _what._

"Midgar Police!" Biggs shouted.

There was a woman between them and the grotesque thing in the bedroom.

"Out of the way ma'am!"

"Get out of here!" she screamed back.

Before Cloud could say anything, the creature reached out and its arm seemed to grow, speeding toward them. He grabbed Biggs by the shoulder to twist him out of the way.

The woman lunged forward at the towering thing, knives flashing in her hands. The creature roared as a gut-wrenching odor wafted into the hallway and when he looked up, he saw the arm had been nearly sliced off.

A flame danced down the woman's arm as she plunged her other knife into its head. Fire scorched it through. It curdled with a final scream.

She hopped back, chest heaving. Cloud and Biggs recovered, taking one step toward her.

"Don't answer any more of these calls," she commanded over her shoulder, before launching herself out of the open window and onto the adjacent house.

Cloud ran forward, leaning out of the window in search of her. But she was gone.

When he turned back, the thing was dissipating into smoke.


	11. Music

**AN: **Feb 11 Prompt is "Music."

Summary: Pianos held so much for her. She felt like they all held the soul of her mother.

Tags: canon, angst, self-reflection

* * *

It'd been so long since she'd seen this piano.

It'd been so long since she'd seen… any of it.

When they came to Nibelheim, she wasn't sure what she'd been expecting.

_Would it be nothing but ash? Would there be a new town here?_

Instead it… was the same town. The same exact town she'd grown up in.

As they approached the gate, she saw flashes of those memories she'd tried to bury, those horrible moments she'd tried to get over. Fire, the smell of burning flesh, her neighbors strewn across the ground…

She'd shaken her head and put on a smile for her friends. They couldn't see her like this.

That night, she'd snuck out of the inn and silently made her way to her old house. She had to see it… she had to take another look at all of it to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

Once upstairs, she touched the old chair at her vanity, sliding the pads of her fingers across the back. After sweeping around the room, she'd paused at the old piano and just stared at it.

It was silly, she thought, to be afraid of something as innocuous as an instrument. But it held so much for her. Before she was fifteen, it'd held the soul of her mother. A woman she strove to be like – nurturing, caring, encouraging, strong. Her mother had never done martial arts or anything like that, but she held their family together. She took care of their home, of her father, of her. She held Tifa close when she was afraid and filled their house with joy on bright days. As Tifa got older, she'd grown to appreciate her mother's loving strength more and more.

Tifa chewed on her lower lip, hesitantly reaching out toward the dusty keys. After her mother had died… she tried to keep practicing. Most days after she finished a song, however, she'd wind up sobbing on the bench. Sometimes it only took a few notes before she couldn't distinguish one key from another. Her father had tried, but he couldn't comfort her the way her mother had.

Once it was all burned away however… she couldn't pass by a piano without flinching. Whenever she heard a piece, she'd feel the emotions well up inside her. She didn't have the words for why music was so powerful to her, how it pulled on her heart. After she'd lost everything, she never wanted to explore the reasons.

Tifa brushed her fingers across the piano keys lightly. She pushed one down gently, a high note sounding throughout the room. She let out a shaky breath and pressed another.

Slowly, she lowered herself onto the bench, taking a moment to fan her hands out over the keys. She took another deep breath and pressed several at once, a low rumble reverberating throughout the house.

For a moment she felt like her heart stopped. As the sound faded, the thumping returned to her ears and she exhaled.

It took a few more minutes before she began to play something. It came to her from deep within her memories. The first few notes were slow, clumsy, jilted until she found a smoother rhythm. It wasn't perfect, she wasn't even sure it was very good, but for the first time in years, she let herself _feel_ something she didn't know she'd been missing. She closed her eyes as her fingers found the keys.

She wasn't even aware of the tears flowing down her cheeks.


	12. Old

**AN: **Feb 12 Prompt is "Old."

For Alex :)

Summary: Denzel finds a pair of Tifa's old gloves.

Tags: canon, family, fluff, bonding

* * *

Sometimes Denzel liked to explore the dingy boxes in the garage because he knew it held parts of their past. Cloud and Tifa didn't go into a whole lot of details about their lives before they took him in, and he understood. He knew they'd been through some difficult things like he had. And they'd been so caught up in taking care of him and making sure he stayed alive, well, their pasts didn't come up a whole lot.

It had been two weeks since everything ended, and Cloud came back home. He was grateful his hero had returned. They were on their way to feeling like a family again, and for the first time in two years, he wasn't afraid of what was to come.

He spotted a gray box and took it down from one of the shelves above the workbench. **Tifa** was written in thick black marker in one of the corners on the lid. He set it down on the table and opened it up.

Inside were a few old, beat up things. He took out a chocobo plushie and held it up. It was covered in dirt and one of the eyes had snapped off. There were also a few pieces of a shiny metal or stone, several pink ribbons, and a pair of black gloves.

Denzel lifted the gloves and examined them. The leather was worn, peeling and cracked in many places, nearly falling apart. They were also extremely faded, looking closer to a dusty gray than the black he assumed they were before.

He knew Tifa was a martial artist. He'd sometimes seen a pair of leather gloves hanging out of her pocket or sitting on her nightstand. He had a vague memory of her defending him from some monster in the middle of Edge. He remembered wanting to move or run, but he couldn't, like he was fighting with something inside of himself.

The Stigma.

Denzel held the gloves close, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. Tifa had done so much for him. Her and Cloud had. He idolized Cloud, but that day, he realized how much Tifa loved and cared for him too. She'd saved his life in more ways than one. He stared down at the gloves and wondered how many times she'd had to fight. How many times had she punched with these?

The door creaked behind him.

"Denzel?"

He stiffened, turning around. Tifa was standing in the doorway with a puzzled look.

"What're you doing in here?"

He held the gloves up as she approached and squatted down to meet him at eye level.

"Oh, where did you find these old things?"

"In that box. It was on the shelf."

She looked at it, then back at him, tilting her head. He didn't meet her gaze.

"What's wrong?"

He gulped, then raised his eyes.

"Could you… teach me?"

She blinked at his question, genuinely shocked. He was always asking for Cloud to tell or show him things. Her eyes flickered to the gloves, then back at him.

"Well… I've never taught anyone before…" She smiled warmly. "But, there's a first time for everything."

He grinned back, hugging her around her neck. She wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"Thanks for everything Tifa."


	13. New

**AN: **Feb 13 Prompt is "New."

I decided to continue yesterday's drabble because why not? These prompts go together.

Summary: Tifa surprises Denzel with something new.

Tags: canon, fluff, bonding

* * *

Tifa surmised that this was good for Denzel, learning martial arts. It gave him something to do, something to look forward to, and it was helping him regain his strength. This was a good way to help him recognize just how strong he could be.

Practice was rough though. Sometimes Denzel thought he preferred swinging rods around. But he was fascinated with the new things he was able to do after a few weeks, and even more in awe of how amazing Tifa was.

"Deep breath in."

She was instructing him on forms. They started with this every time. At first, he thought they were boring – he still did some days.

_"When am I gonna learn how to punch monsters? Or do a flying kick?!"_

_"After you've learned how to keep your balance," she'd teased, tipping him over when he lost his concentration._

She moved one foot forward slowly, planting her toes on the mat, bending her knees. He mirrored her, focused on her every move. Her hands stayed on her hips as she transitioned, moving her foot behind her. He did the same. She shook her head and stopped, turning her attention to him.

"No, like this," she said, pushing his foot back with her own.

Denzel jerked, throwing his arms out just a little in an attempt to keep his balance. Her hands hovered over him, but he found it on his own.

"This always feels so awkward…"

Tifa smiled. "It does at first."

"Like I'm doing some weird dance."

She giggled softly, standing in front of him so he could watch her. "This is a dance."

Tifa shifted her dominant foot behind her, her fist curled next to her side. She exhaled, connecting her fist to the inside of her elbow, her other arm hooked upward, her fingers curled inward. She turned her head to the side, shifting her torso in the same direction, and lifted her arms as if she were blocking something. Then she brought her hands close to her body, bent her knee to her stomach, and kicked out sideways.

Denzel stared with wide eyes.

"How are you keeping your balance like that!"

She settled back into a normal stance.

"I practice my forms almost every day. When Cloud and I spar in the morning, I always do a few beforehand."

"Even though you're already good?"

She pat him on the head. "I'm good _because_ I practice."

He nodded, understanding. "Okay. I'm ready."

When they were done an hour later, she handed him a towel to wipe his face.

"Your punches are getting better! You just have to remember to always be ready to block."

He grinned at the praise. "I'll do better next time!"

"I know you will."

Denzel started to leave, but Tifa called him back. She grabbed a small box from a shelf too high for him to reach.

"I was going to save this for when you'd advanced a little more, but I can't help himself," she laughed. "You've just been working so hard, and I'm really proud of you."

Inside the box was a pair of black leather gloves. They weren't brand new; he could tell they'd seen some wear and tear. They were a bit faded but didn't have the cracking and peeling of the pair he'd seen a few weeks before.

Denzel picked them up out of the box and gaped at them. Tifa bit her lip.

"Do you like them?"

He didn't like crying, but he felt a little overwhelmed by the gift. It had been a long time since he'd been given anything like this. Since he'd felt so loved and cared for. Tifa recognized his progress, how hard he was practicing, even though he complained. He didn't realize how much that meant to him until just now.

Denzel furiously wiped his eyes, feeling like this was a stupid thing to cry about, and hugged her around her waist. He only nodded against her stomach.

"Thank you… thanks so much."

Tifa hugged him back tightly.

They might have been an older pair of gloves for her, but to him they were brand new.


	14. City

**AN: **Feb 14 Prompt is "City."

I... felt inclined to make it a Valentine's Day fic. Shout out to the Final Heaven Discord CloTi Confessions 2020 event~

Summary: Tifa's really nervous to give Cloud the honmei chocolates. What if he turns her down?

Tags: AU, romance, supernatural

* * *

She held a small, heart-shaped red box tightly to her chest protectively, afraid something would happen to it in the busy street.

It wasn't until she turned down an alley that she began to relax a little. At least she knew it wouldn't get crushed now against the throng of passersby. She gently unfolded her hands and lifted the lid, peeking inside.

All the little morsels were still safe.

_Good._

Her heart started to thump a little louder as she stared at them, remembering what they were for.

_Oh gods, am I… am I really going to do this?_

She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. It would be okay. What's the worst that could happen?

_"These are for you."_

_"Oh… I don't… feel that way about you."_

Her heart sank. She felt like she was going to vomit.

"Tifa."

She yelped, tucking her hands behind her back as she turned around. He was standing there suddenly, a warm smile creasing his beautiful, endless blue eyes. His blonde spikes fell in a halo around his face.

_Thump thump thump thump._

Too fast, it was beating too fast. He'd hear it surely.

He took a step toward her, his smile faltering.

"What's wrong?"

Tifa gulped, shaking her head. She met his gaze, the corners of her lips turning up despite herself. She was so nervous, so afraid, but seeing him made her so happy…

"Nothing! Nothing at all."

His grin returned to its full brightness. She noticed one pearly white fang sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he took her hand.

"I want you to see something," he exclaimed, leading her into the abandoned building he lived in.

They climbed the stairs together. He ascended them several at a time, and she felt like she was floating. She knew the space was too tight for him to soar the way he could.

"Cloud! Why are you so excited?"

He glanced back at her. "You'll see."

Once on the roof, he walked with her for a few feet toward the edge. The sun had set by now. Lights shimmered throughout the city, mostly pink and white for the holiday.

Her chocolates.

She bit her lip as she remembered them, stealing a peek before he faced her again.

"Do you trust me?" he asked as he got close to her, brushing her bangs out of her face.

His breath stirred against her nose, misting in the cold. She gave him a slight nod.

"Wh—"

Two beautiful, feathered white wings fanned out behind him. She gasped. They stole her breath just like they had the first time she saw them.

"Cloud! What if someone sees you?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. "They won't. Now hold onto me. Don't let go, okay?"

Her eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen. Before she had time to protest, his wings coiled, then flapped heavily against the ground.

When she looked out, she could see the entire city out before her. They soared above even the tallest skyscrapers, and she watched the lights shine off of the bay in the distance.

A scream died in her throat, fear replaced by awe.

"Don't look down," he whispered in her ear.

She fought the urge, trying to find something else to focus on. Her eyes found his face.

Tifa knew he wasn't an angel. No, he was some other creature, something he didn't even really have a name for. He even thought of himself as an abomination most of the time.

But as she gazed up at him, his eyes sparkling in the light, his lips curved serenely, she wondered how he could ever think that about himself.

He looked down at her, catching her off guard. Something boomed a few hundred yards away. She clutched his shirt and turned her head in time to see the first of the Valentine's Day fireworks going off.

"Wow…" was all she could say.

"Beautiful, right?"

His voice was little more than a soft murmur. When she turned back to him, he planted a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Cl-cloud?"

"Thank you, Tifa."

Her eyes got even wider. "For what?"

"For being my light out of the darkness." He glanced down and chuckled. "And for those."

She blinked, then looked into her hands.

"Oh! Oh..."

He kissed her forehead again. "We'll share them back on the roof."

Her heart soared as she continued to watch the fireworks in his arms.


	15. Desert

**AN:** Got a little behind in updating these. Sorry to anyone's inbox who is subscribed as I post a couple more at a time.

Feb 15 Prompt is "Desert."

Summary: He wanders aimlessly in the desert, lost. Then, someone saves him.

Tags: AU, mystery.

* * *

His tattered coat billows around him in the desert winds. He barely has the strength to keep holding onto it, but he has to. It is his only protection from the blistering sun.

_How long have I been walking…?_

It has been a few days at least. The sun has set and rose several times; he's lost count. His lips are cracked, his throat parched, his legs burning with every slow, dragging step he takes.

But he has to keep going. He has to get away from that… place.

He wobbles and collapses to his knees with a grunt. Smoke rolls in the distance. His head lolls as he looks up, and as his vision blurs, he wonders if they have finally found him.

* * *

Muffled voices, like he is underwater. His head is throbbing. He feels heavy, like lead, and finds he can't open his eyes just yet.

As his senses slowly come back to him, he realizes there is something cushy underneath him. Not exactly soft, but more comfortable than the sands of the desert. He has been moved, he surmises. But to where?

"…he's okay…?"

The voices are becoming more distinct.

"…safe to…here…"

A door closes. Something supports his neck. He is grateful. His skin doesn't feel as tight and withered as it had before.

There is a sound next to him, a soft thump. Water sloshing. Then, something cool and damp against his forehead. It feels so good on his skin. He sighs internally, grateful for the relief.

They swipe it along his brow, then down the sides of his face. It disappears, water splashes, and the chilling sensation is on his neck.

His eyes finally snap open. Above him is a woman's face, a curtain of dark hair over his side.

"Oh!"

She starts to move away, startled, but he grabs her hand. She blinks, then recovers. A warm, gentle smile curves her lips.

"Hi there."

He can only stare. He has so many questions, but they seem to die in her crimson eyes.

"Are you alright?"

He opens his mouth to respond, licking his lips. A rasp comes out instead. She reaches behind her for a cup and he lets go of her hand. She places it behind his head and helps him up, lifting the cup to his lips. Soothing water washes down his throat. He starts to gulp it down, but she gently retracts.

"Don't want you to overwhelm yourself. Take it slow."

He nods, his throat finally beginning to feel normal. He licks his lips again before responding.

"I-I'm… alright."

He sits up straight on what he recognizes is a bed. She is sitting next to him in a chair.

"What's your name?" she asks, holding the cup in her hands.

He thinks for a moment, wondering if he should answer. But she seems so genuine, so kind… maybe he will take that chance.

"Cloud."

She nods, her smile widening. "I'm Tifa." She places the cup back on the table and picks up the cloth. Dipping it inside the bowl, she twists it to release the excess water before placing it against his brow again. "You can stay here until you recover, okay? Don't worry about a thing."

He gulps to moisten his throat.

"Thank you."


	16. Mountain

**AN: **Feb 16 Prompt is "Mountain."

This is an idea I've had rumbling around in my head. One day I'll write this~

Summary: Tifa and Cloud have a chat on Mt. Nibel.

Tags: canon-divergent, confessions, romance.

* * *

The sun was setting. Tifa sat down on the cliff face, swinging her legs. He sat next to her, and she wondered for a fleeting moment if he was a little closer than he had been yesterday.

She honestly couldn't even believe he was here. She was so disappointed when she didn't see him amongst SOLDIER's retinue when they first arrived that she had given up hope.

_Maybe he's on another assignment. _

_Maybe he's too busy to come back to this small town…_

But then blonde spikes leapt from underneath the helmet of the guard who rushed to protect her. When she tried to help him up, she recognized his face and felt her heart skip a beat.

"Hey, Cloud?"

He was bent forward with his elbows on his knees. He craned his neck slightly to look at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Hm?"

"Why didn't you say anything when you first got here?"

He visibly stiffened, turning back to the horizon. For a few minutes, he didn't answer, and she was beginning to think he wouldn't.

"I… I was embarrassed."

She leaned forward with him. "Embarrassed?"

"I… I'd said I was gonna become SOLDIER. But I'm just… just some grunt."

Pain laced his words. She reached over and placed a hand on his forearm in comfort. He stared back at her, and she could see it in his eyes.

His shame.

"Is that why you didn't… write me?"

Once again, he avoided her gaze. "I was afraid you'd think... I was some loser."

"Cloud… I don't care if you're in SOLDIER."

His eyes flickered back up to her, wide. "But I can't keep my promise if… if I'm not in SOLDIER."

Tifa giggled, pushing him lightly. "Seriously?" He nodded again and she sighed. "Cloud, you promised you'd be there when I was in a pinch right? Well, when that monster attacked in front of the reactor, you were there!"

He shifted back onto his hands. "Yeah, some hero. It took me down with one hit."

She squeezed his arm. "But you were still there for me."

He was staring at her with such intensity she had to look away. She could feel her face getting hot, and pulled her hair over her shoulder to hide it as she faced out toward the town again.

"Cloud… I started training to defend myself because I… I figured that promise might have been kinda silly. I mean, I can't depend on someone else to save me _every_ time. But… but you were there for me. And I appreciate that."

His voice was low when he responded, "I'm a nobody, Tifa."

"Not to me."

She realized what she'd said and began running her hands through her hair even faster.

"I just mean… don't be so hard on yourself!" Tifa faced him with a smile. "Did you try to make SOLDIER?"

"Of course I tried!" he answered, leaning toward her. "But I failed…"

She shook her head. "What matters is you tried. You can do it again when you go back, can't you?"

He gulped, nodding.

"Then it's settled!" she laughed. "If you want to be in SOLDIER, you're going to keep trying."

Tifa realized just how close he'd gotten. His breath tickled her face as he stared down at her. If she tilted her head just a little, she could—

His lips pressed against hers. It was a soft, hesitant touch. His eyes were squeezed shut. Her shoulders tightened at the sudden gesture, caught off guard, and her pause made him pull away.

"I'm sorry, Tifa, I'm sor—"

She grabbed his shirt and closed her eyes, drawing him back to her, kissing him hard. It was awkward, their lips not placed right. She'd never kissed anyone before, and maybe he hadn't either.

She gulped, relaxing her grip on him. One of his hands caressed her cheek before curling around her neck. She let her mouth curve to his, and he did the same. For a few moments, she thought she'd get lost in his embrace.

He pulled back gently this time, barely an inch. Her lips ghosted against his when she spoke.

"Never give up, okay?"

He nodded, and she intertwined her fingers in those of his free hand.

"Okay."


	17. Mood

**AN: **Feb 17 Prompt is "Mood."

This is the kind of energy I'm trying to have in my life. Shout out to Senigata for the inspiration~

Summary: If Tifa had to list her favorite things, days like this would be right at the top.

Tags: canon, fluff, quiet days, snuggles

* * *

If Tifa had to list her favorite things, days like this would be right at the top.

The house was quiet, save for the rain pattering on the windows, thunder rolling in the distance, and the heater kicking on every few minutes. Barret had decided to take the kids for the weekend, so it was just the two of them at home. And as much as she loved them, she loved these moments she had with him just as much.

Her head rested against his shoulder, her legs curled under her on the soft couch as she turned the page on the mystery novel she was reading. His arm was around her waist, snuggling her close underneath the large plushy blanket as he flipped one-handed through a motorcycle magazine. He absentmindedly scratched her stomach above the heating pad that rested on her lower abdomen, the plug snaking over the side of the sofa. A candle flickered on the coffee table, vanilla and honey, with two steaming mugs of spiced ginger tea on both sides of it.

Every now and then Cloud would point out something for her to look at and she would shake or nod her approval. He'd indicate some mark next to the part or feature with a red pen. Sometimes he took her advice, sometimes he disagreed, but for the most part, they were silent in their enjoyment of one another's company, not really needed words.

After a few minutes, she gently folded the corner of her page and closed her book. Leaning forward, she placed it on the table and grabbed her mug, holding it with both hands as she blew across the top. He lowered his arm back to its original position and continued to lightly rub her tummy once she settled back against him, his touch just as soothing as the heating pad. After a few more minutes, he set the magazine next to him and picked up the remote. She glanced at it and nodded, taking a sip. He switched on the television, quickly finding their favorite channel. One thriller was ending, another starting in just a few moments. Luckily, they'd already seen the one that was going off, but she wasn't familiar with the one that was coming on after it. She wasn't sure if he was, but she knew she would soon find out.

On afternoons like this, they liked to watch these movies and talk through them together – the plot holes, the twists, who they thought the mastermind was. It had become a little tradition of theirs, something they used to get outside of their own lives for a few hours.

Not that they had too many issues with their own lives these days. Things had settled down and seemed to be staying that way nearly a year after the second reunion. The kids were growing and had futures to look forward to now. Both of their young lives had been so tumultuous for so long, she figured it was nice for them to finally feel normal.

She found herself looking over her shoulder less now, too, and she knew he had relaxed as well. The bar was doing well; the delivery service was flourishing as all over the world people started to find their own way from underneath the shadow of Shinra. They were both grateful for these mundane days, where there was nothing to worry about. They both needed less worry, less fear, less anguish – they'd had enough to last several lifetimes.

So days like this, when he pulled her into his lap so she sat sideways with her mug and leaned against his chest; when he kissed her softly on her forehead while holding her underneath a plushy blanket with the rain pitter-pattering on the windows, she would put at the top of a list of her favorite things.

Definitely in her top five at the very least.


	18. Color

**AN: **Feb 18 Prompt is "Color."

If you haven't read my one-shot "Color," I'd suggest paying it a visit! It would give some context for this drabble~

Summary: Cloud tells Tifa about the colors. She can't believe it happened to him too.

Tags: AU, friendship, confessions, fluff

* * *

On days where she worked an earlier shift, Cloud would meet her at the bar to hang out. When she opened the back door, he was leaning next to it, scrolling through his phone, but looked up when she emerged. A smile brightened his face.

Tifa always took a moment to drink in his colors whenever she saw him. Soft blonde spikes fell messily around his head. His ocean blue eyes glimmered underneath the fluorescent streetlight. He was wearing a navy-blue jacket with a purple scarf around his neck and black jeans. His shoes were black as well.

She reached out and wrapped him in a tight hug. His scarf was soft against her face and smelled earthy, like him. She took a deep breath before he pulled back. She held his hand.

"How was your day?" he inquired as they turned out of the alley and down the street.

She hummed. "Well, almost got a drink spilled on me about an hour ago, but I managed to get out of the way in time. Other than that, pretty good."

He nodded. "Good to hear that."

"You?"

Cloud shrugged. "Cleaned my apartment mostly. I didn't have work today."

They were quiet for a few minutes as they walked. They often aimlessly wandered the streets just for the sake of enjoying one another's company, surveying street vendors and taking in the sights. Her fingers flexed against the back of his hand and she saw the corner of his lips curve up just a bit more.

"Wanna walk around the park?" he suddenly asked. She nodded and walked a little closer to him as they made a left and headed for the entrance.

They stopped at a vendor selling steamed buns and grabbed a couple before continuing down a row of overhanging trees. As she looked up, she could see the slender white sliver of the moon filtering through the branches. Most of the leaves were dead and gone by now, as they were well into the winter season. She was grateful that it had been a mild one.

They stopped along the edge of the lake. She took a bite of her pork bun and chewed as she watched the shimmering lights reflect off of the water. His thumb rubbed against her hand. Tifa swallowed and watched him for a few moments. His brow was furrowed.

"Something wrong?"

He bit his lip. "I… want to tell you something... but you'll probably think I'm a little crazy."

Tifa shook her head. "I won't! I promise." She tugged on his arm and he looked down at her.

"Okay…"

He led her over to a nearby bench and sat down with her. Cloud took a deep breath, staring down at her hand laced with his. Half a minute passed before he met her gaze again.

"When… when I saw you again two months ago… something really strange happened." At her wide eyes he added, "Amazing! It was amazing! But it was… still a strange thing."

"…What happened?"

"Well…" He scratched the back of his neck. "I… I saw colors again for the first time since I moved away from our village five years ago."

She swallowed hard on the piece of bun she'd been chewing, staring at him, mouth agape. He fidgeted, continuing.

"I'd been seeing gray for five years, but it's not like that anymore. I can see now that you're wearing blue jeans and a red sweater and a black bomber jacket and red shoes and your favorite earring that you wear every day is silver and—"

"Me too."

He blinked. "What?"

She laughed, throwing her arms around him. "Me too!" He held her close, and she felt like she was going to cry all over again. "I… I thought something was wrong with me. I can't believe that happened to you too!"

She pulled away and gazed up at him, cupping one side of his face. He still looked a little bewildered, until they both started into a fit of laughter, embracing each other again.

"I'm so happy you're back in my life Cloud," she whispered.

He hugged her tighter, his face nuzzled into her neck, her black hair tickling his nose.

"Me too Teef."


	19. Senses

**AN: **Feb 19 Prompt is "Senses."

Another idea I'm toying around with...

Summary: She fills all of his senses and he can't get enough... but it's costing her too much.

Tags: AU, romance, supernatural, angst, tragedy

* * *

He remembered the first time he smelled her. It was before he caught a glimpse of her - before he even entered the bar, he smelled berries and vanilla and knew he'd found his Mark.

He remembered the first time he saw her, all smiles as he found a spot near the back. He didn't need to see her, but he knew as soon as he laid eyes on her lean, curvy frame, her kind, welcoming smile, he was enraptured.

"Welcome to Seventh Heaven!"

That was the first time he'd heard her. And her voice was soothing music to his ears.

For two weeks he sat in that bar, watching her bust tables and smile and talk with other customers. He never made conversation, nor did he need to. Being near her was enough. Her energy flowed to him, her scent wafted under his nose like that of a freshly baked pie, and he needed nothing more than to just be close enough…

But one day, she put his beer down and said,

"What's your name?"

That was the first time he'd ever spoken to his Mark, other than ordering.

"Cloud."

* * *

He remembered the first time he touched her. He'd offered to help her with supplies for the bar. When she brushed his shoulder as they walked, someone forcing her closer to him as they moved past, he felt like he'd been shocked. And when she handed him something to carry and their fingers grazed against one another ever so lightly, electricity shot up his spine in a way it never had before. When she hugged him that afternoon in thanks, he wrapped his arms a little too tight, nearly losing himself in her essence. As he left, he felt a little tipsy, like he'd had several drinks. He hadn't smiled like that in a long time.

* * *

The first time he tasted her was a few weeks after that, and she was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. He'd never tasted his Marks before, he'd never even touched them, he never got close enough to, but she… she stoked something in him that he never really knew was there.

Her lips were soft, the lavender of her lip balm mixing with her scent as he inhaled her, savoring her. She shuddered and broke away just a bit, breathing hard, staring up at him.

"Did… did you feel that too?" she whispered.

He kissed her again and again and again under the stars, lightening racing up and down his body. He wanted to drink it all in.

* * *

The first time she got sick, she tried to work. It wasn't until she dropped a tray full of drinks that he realized with wide eyes what was happening. She'd never dropped a tray before, she'd never even spilled a glass.

As he walked her home and helped her to bed, her energy seeping into his bloodstream as she held onto him, he noticed the dark circles forming under her eyes. But when she asked him to stay, he did, because he needed to be close to her.

Though now he wasn't sure if it was because she satiated his appetite like no Mark ever had, or because he loved her.

A few days later, she was fine. But not for long.

* * *

He made love to her often. Too often, he knew, but he couldn't get enough of her, and she couldn't keep her hands off of him for long either. She always fell asleep immediately while he lied awake, feeling drunk and energized, listening to her breathe.

He felt guilty.

So incredibly guilty.

Because he knew he was killing her. She was getting weak and falling ill more often. He realized she was going a lot faster than his other Marks.

He was too close.

* * *

So, he decided to leave.

He hated hearing her cry. He hated seeing her tears. Even her scent was sad, like berries wilting in the sun.

"I'm sorry, Tifa."

He missed touching her. He missed tasting her, even just the gentle flavor of her lips.

But he had to. He would die instead, but she would live. She could spread that love to someone else who needed it.

To someone who wouldn't kill her for it.


	20. Future

**AN: **Feb 20 Prompt is "Future."

I need to write more AerTi content...

Summary: Aerith and Tifa go on a date around the Gold Saucer.

Tags: canon, romance, fluff

* * *

Tifa was just removing her arm guards when Aerith skipped into the room and grabbed her hand.

"Cloud and Barret are on a date – why can't we go on one too?"

Tifa's lips curved upward. "Lead the way!"

They visited Wonder Square first. As soon as Aerith spotted the arm-wrestling game, she pointed it out.

"Ooh, Tifa! You should try this one!"

"I've played it before, back when we first came here."

Aerith tangled her fingers into Tifa's and led her over to it. "Well, _I_ wanna see you play it this time!" she mused with a smirk.

Tifa giggled, nodding. "Okay okay. Here we go!"

Aerith picked the medium difficulty setting and Tifa grabbed the arm, flexing her fingers as she did. Aerith whistled, her eyes scanning up and down Tifa's arm. The martial artist grinned and, with minimal effort, slammed the arm down on its side.

Aerith jumped up and down, cheering. "You're amazing! Again!"

She selected the most difficult setting and watched a sumo wrestler appear before them. He sneered at his opponent, who huffed through her nose, nostrils flaring. She gripped his arm, and only several seconds after the game shouted _"Go!_,_"_ the sumo wrestler had been defeated as well. He disappeared, bewilderment in his eyes.

The flower girl threw her arm around her friend's neck and Tifa held onto her, both in a fit of laughter. She kissed Tifa on the cheek before leading them around to play different games.

After a few hours, they left Wonder Square hand in hand and spotted a small bar nearby. Aerith tilted her head toward it.

"Want to sample the competition?"

Tifa shrugged. "What are you talking about? I don't have…" She bit her lip. "I don't have a bar anymore."

Aerith squeezed her hand. "I know you will again one day."

The brawler smiled. "You'll be welcome any time."

Aerith's cheeks turned a little pink. Her eyes scanned the area and landed on the Round Square tube.

"Why don't we check out the gondola instead? I've never been on anything like that!"

They rode the chute and purchased their tickets. The two climbed in and sat across from one another, watching each other until Aerith's smile got a little wider. Tifa averted her gaze to her lap.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing!" Tifa stammered. She looked back up. "This is just… really nice."

The flower girl tilted her head and patted the space to her right. Tifa took a deep breath and joined her. Aerith wrapped her arms around her and they snuggled together on the seat. It was quiet for a few minutes as the gondola gently swayed and they lifted higher into the sky.

"I can't wait to visit your new bar when this is all over."

Tifa glanced down at Aerith's head before looking back out the window. "I can't wait for you to either. I'll even name a drink for you!"

Aerith giggled. "I'd like that a lot!"

Colors exploded outside. Both girls jumped, holding onto each other tightly for a second before relaxing.

"Whoa," they said together.

They decided to get lost in the fireworks for a few minutes more, eyes wide and flashing with the vibrant sparklers.

"Hey, Aerith?" Tifa asked.

"Hm?"

"What are you gonna do after we save the Planet?"

Aerith slowly tilted her head back and stared into Tifa's eyes.

"I'm not sure… but I hope… no, I _know_ you'll be there."

Tifa hugged her tighter. Aerith tilted her head up just a bit and kissed her softly right at the corner of her mouth. Tifa blinked, her cheeks reddening profusely, but she found herself leaning down as the gondola slowed to a stop. The brawler gulped.

"Oh… I guess we… have to go."

Aerith sat up and stood, pulling Tifa up with her. "That's alright. We_ are_ sharing a room, aren't we?"

Tifa smiled, nodding.

When they exited the gondola, they saw Cloud and Barret walking ahead. Both men had their arms crossed and weren't looking at one another. The two girls giggled, hugging each other even closer as they made their way back to the Ghost Hotel.

They were looking forward to the future.


	21. Peace

**AN: **Feb 21 Prompt was "Peace."

Summary: Amidst all the chaos, he finally let himself feel at peace.

Tags: canon, contemplative

* * *

"Another round over here!"

"Coming!"

He watched Tifa run around the bar from his seat in the back. Marlene trotted back and forth, delivering drinks on trays. She liked to help on busy days, reminiscent of her role just over two years ago. These days, Tifa tried to keep her out of the bar as much as possible, thinking maybe it wasn't great for such a young child to be tending one. But Marlene was quite a precocious girl – sometimes Cloud didn't know how to handle her himself – and she wasn't so easily influenced. He wasn't worried.

It was a busy evening, several Saturdays after he'd come back home. People crowded around tables and up at the bar, laughing and joking. Some people even broke out into song a few times. He was used to seeing it pretty lively on the weekends, but not like this.

The provisional Edge government, largely supported by WRO, was having a festival to celebrate the end of Geostigma. They were calling it the "Renewal." People had been in high spirits for weeks as the city prepared for it. Yesterday, it finally kicked off with a somber ceremony at the new Meteor statute to commemorate all that has been lost in the past two years. Today, Seventh Heaven was hosting the first of a series of celebratory activities that would continue into the week.

A small smile crept onto his face as he watched her mix two drinks at once, tie her hair back, then serve some plates. Yuffie was also around, and she was keeping up pretty well, all smiles and laughter with the patrons. At the beginning of the night, Cloud had tried to help by serving, but he had never been the best with people. Even now, after everything, he still found crowds like this a little difficult to navigate. And when he tried to go behind the bar to see what Tifa needed, she'd only shaken her head with a grin.

He'd only get in the way, and he knew that.

He also knew he'd be on serious clean-up duty later, which he honestly preferred anyway.

So, he sat at a table near the back, watching the evening unfold with a plate of fries and one of Tifa's new drinks that she'd come up with for the Renewal. A few times she came over to replace his fries and his drink, a lingering touch on his arm, before going back to what she was doing.

And even amidst all the chaos, he finally let himself feel at peace.


	22. War

**AN: **Feb 22 Prompt is "War."

Another one of my ideas that's been tumbling around...

Summary: Five years ago she died. Then she showed up on his mission.

Tags: AU, angst, enemies, suspense, military

* * *

Cloud had decided to personally go on this mission because they had it on good authority Avalanche's second-in-command would be there. He did not want to take the chance of letting him slip through their fingers again.

It's been three years since the war with Avalanche started. He'd already been working with Shinra for two – his SOLDIER unit had been hired right out of Academy after graduation. Shinra had hired a lot of squads from SOLDIER all over the world in preparation for an escalation in fighting. Avalanche seemed to be everywhere, bombing reactors, raiding villages and supply trains, and Shinra knew they needed more to put an end to them.

Cloud had been ambivalent about working for Shinra at first - it was just a job they were being paid to do. He was more concerned with his friend who'd been assigned to protect their hometown from Avalanche attacks. They had both left that village behind, hoping to never go back, but he had encouraged her. Said it would be okay.

Then six months later, Avalanche brutally ambushed that squad and massacred the town.

This fight had become personal for him.

So, when Shinra offered to enlist him into their military as an officer, he gladly accepted. Now he was a commander only several ranks below General Sephiroth himself. If he was being honest, though, the ranks weren't what really mattered. He didn't care how many battles he had to fight - he was going to personally see Avalanche wiped out for ripping the one thing away that he loved.

Starting with their second-in-command.

They stalked the small Avalanche squad to the reactor in Sector Three. They'd put out false information about it containing some high-level codes, and knew it was only a matter of time before the rebel group took the bait. When Cloud saw the enemy having trouble at the door to the main reactor core – a door they'd made sure to change the codes on just an hour before – he ordered his men to surround them.

They turned around, hands raised, guns slung across their chests. The one in the middle, who did not have a gun, stepped forward – he was wearing a loose black jumpsuit and matching hat so Cloud couldn't see his face. He had a smaller frame than Cloud thought he would, considering everything he's heard about the man's prowess in battle, but Cloud also wasn't one to speak on another's stature.

"We'll be taking you into custody—"

A blur of movement. He'd just side-stepped in time to see their Commander's fist moving forward into the space where his own head had been. He barely had time to grab his sword from his back when he launched into a flurry of attacks against him.

Shots rang out while the pair engaged in combat. He could see his men going down, but he was too preoccupied to help them. Cloud was fast, but with the weight of his sword, he was a hair slower than his enemy. Something about the way he fought was familiar…

Cloud dodged too late. A fist cracked him across the jaw, a kick launched him into the nearby railing. His adversary was about to kick him over the edge when a grunt ran into him and knocked him down. His hat fell off.

Cloud's heart seized in his chest. The Commander made quick work of the grunt before standing up and facing him.

_"You promised we'd graduate together, remember?"_

_"Aren't the stars pretty tonight?"_

_"Cloud… I don't want to go to Nibelheim. I don't want this assignment."_

Red eyes stared back at him, at first hard and angry. He felt like time had stopped.

Suddenly she was on him, holding him against the metal railing. He leaned backward, his arms flailing behind him. Some emotion - sadness, anguish - swam in her eyes.

"I saw… I saw your body," he managed to say.

She pressed closer, her eyes flickering to her people behind them. She slipped something into his front pocket before leaning forward and whispering into his ear,

"They lied."

Her face was all he saw as he toppled over the edge.

The pain in her voice was all he could hear.

_"You're going to be okay Teef. I'll see you soon."_


	23. Travel

**AN: **Feb 23 Prompt is "Travel."

Summary: The family is on their way to Costa for a nice vacation.

Tags: canon, fluff, family

* * *

He's ridden the ferry from Junon to Costa del Sol more times than he can count, but his motion sickness never gets any better.

Gods, how annoying.

He tries to focus on the kids running around the deck playing. It is Marlene's turn to chase Denzel in their game of tag and she is currently trying to run him down near the bow of the ship.

"Be careful!"

Tifa stands next to him near the railing. A sudden gust of wind whips her hair around her, and she yelps in surprise, trying her best to pull it together and get it under control. He chuckles, grateful for such an adorable distraction, but then grabs the rail in support as his head swims.

"Cloud?"

She's standing much closer suddenly, her ruby eyes filled with concern. Cloud nods, straightening up and reaching out to her. Tifa smiles and faces the sea while he wraps his left arm around her waist and holds onto the rail with his right.

"Are you okay?" she asks over her shoulder.

Cloud nuzzles his nose into her hair and plants a chaste kiss on her neck. He inhales her scent – a faintly sweet smell mixing with the salty air – and sighs.

"This is helping."

She giggles and looks toward the bow again, watching the kids.

"They're fine," he whispers.

"I know, I just… want to make sure."

He nods against her shoulder and looks out at the water. The sun's rays are warm on his skin, and he's grateful for the white shirt Tifa suggested he wear with his jeans. She'd donned a green sundress in preparation for the heat, but he can still see prickles of sweat beginning to dot her neck.

"Want me to let you go?"

She shakes her head. "No, no." She lines her arm up with his across her stomach and plays with the ring on his fourth finger. "This is fine. It's nice." Tifa tilts her head back and he kisses her softly.

A shriek of laughter jostles her away and she looks behind them. Marlene is pointing over the railing on the other side.

"It's Costa!"

She and Denzel are nearly bouncing out of their shoes. Cloud knows they can't wait to get off of this boat and play at the beach. His mind starts to wander to Tifa in the new bathing suit she'd bought for their vacation…

"Hey!"

He blinks and looks down at her. Her brow is furrowed, but her eyes show amusement.

"Save your dirty thoughts for tonight, okay?"

He laughs and holds her tighter, giving her a peck on her cheek. She always knows what he was thinking these days. No one knows him better, after all.

Marlene tugs on his sleeve.

"Daddy's meeting us there, right?"

He nods. "Right." He ruffles the girl's hair as she stands next to Tifa. Denzel is on their other side with a wide grin on his face.

Cloud isn't sure how many times he'd ridden this ferry in order to make his deliveries. His nausea makes an appearance every single trip - but at least this time, he has his family to hang on to.


	24. Home

**AN: **Feb 24 Prompt is "Home."

I was re-reading "War," and decided, well... why not relate these two?

Summary: Despite leaving their village behind, Tifa still feels nostalgic about it. But he reminds her of where home really is.

Tags: AU, angst, friendship, nostalgia, fluff

* * *

On some nights, she would sneak out to the observatory to gaze at the stars.

Not just the ones that occupied her part of the sky, but those that others in different parts of the world could see as well. Sometimes she flipped through the planets that were visible in the night sky and zoomed in to get a closer look.

Currently, however, the screen that projected onto the ceiling of the curved dome was set to a longitude and latitude she'd tried to forget. In fact, it was set to this place on most of her visits.

As much as she didn't like to admit it, she had a certain pang of nostalgia for her hometown that made her want to see the stars from there almost every night. The positioning of the constellations and which planets were visible were a bit off compared to the night sky outside of her Academy. She'd been studying this night sky for nearly three years now, ever since she first discovered the observatory here.

At first, she would curl up in the large room alone and cry. Despite how bad it had been, she missed home – it was at least familiar to her. It was under the Nibelese sky that she and another kid made a promise to leave that place behind and escape together. They sought out SOLDIER Academy to learn how to defend themselves and others in order to make sure no one could ever hurt them again. But she had so many moments where she wanted to go back. It always felt strange to her to want to return to that place.

Eventually, she got over her fears of the unknown. She dove into her work and training at the Academy with a fresh determination after a conversation with the one she'd come here with.

_"Cloud… sometimes… I'm scared."_

_"It's okay. I'll always be here to remind you."_

And he did. Whenever she felt herself slipping into a depression or losing focus, he reminded her of why they were there. Of their promise to stay close to one another, to always have each other's backs, and to graduate as SOLDIERs together. She was always grateful to him for that, and for how close they'd gotten over the years.

Tifa didn't move from her spot on the floor when she heard the door open and close. Footsteps across the marble floor led to her position. A light chuckle, then he laid down next to her and stared up at the ceiling.

"Nibelheim?" he asked.

She only nodded.

They remained silent for a few minutes. She glanced in his direction several times, but his eyes stayed on the projected stars above them.

He folded one arm under his head. "You worried?"

Her gaze flickered to him. "A little." Eyes on the sky, she inquired, "You?"

He shook his head. "Nah. And you shouldn't be either."

She rolled her eyes. "Cloud, I don't get you sometimes."

He propped up on one elbow, facing her now. "What do you mean Teef?"

She turned her head to him but remained flat against the ground. "You're not worried about the exams at all? Not even a little bit? What about the written portion?"

"I know I'm a good fighter." Cloud scratched the back of his neck. "And… I've had the best tutor for the written part."

Tifa was grateful for the darkness of the room – otherwise he would've seen her face flush.

"Well, someone has to take it seriously…" she muttered, looking back up at the Nibelheim stars.

He laid back down but didn't say anything. A moment later his fingers brushed against hers. She took a deep breath and slipped her hand into his. He squeezed back in response.

"You're going to do fine Teef. No one at this school is as good as you."

She smiled then, warmth blooming in her chest.

"Thanks Cloud. You're gonna be great too."

Tifa still had her moments where she missed that old village. But she was forever grateful that he was always there to remind her that she didn't need to go back there to feel at home.

Home was with him.


	25. Belief

**AN: **Feb 25 Prompt is "Belief."

Summary: Tifa and Aerith have a midnight conversation.

Tags: canon, light angst/comfort

* * *

Tifa didn't pray a whole lot. She'd actually never really prayed at all. The old gods of her village were fading from memory by the time her home was burned down around her. Ever since then, she figured she had to rely on herself if she wanted anything good to happen in her life. Or, at the very least, if she just wanted to break even.

But one day, while they were getting ready for bed inside of their tent, Tifa caught Aerith praying. She was on her knees on top of her bedroll, hands clasped together. Her forehead nearly touched her hands, her eyes were closed, and Tifa had never seen anyone with a more serene look on her face.

Aerith opened her eyes with a soft sigh, then snuggled into her bedroll. Tifa followed suit, blew out the lantern, and faced the ceiling of the tent.

"You were watching me," the flower girl whispered in the darkness.

Tifa nodded, then realized she couldn't see her. "Yeah. I haven't… seen anyone pray in a long time."

Aerith only hummed in response.

"Do you pray often?"

There was a moment of silence. Then she said, "Nearly every day."

Tifa turned to her side to face her. "Can… can I ask you something?"

There was a faint rustling as Aerith shifted around. "Of course."

The martial artist bit her lip, trying to figure out how to word her question. She didn't want to offend her new friend, so she settled for a simple word.

"Why?"

She could almost feel the flower girl's stare.

"Why what?"

"Why… why pray? I mean…" Tifa sighed, laying on her back again. "What's the point…?" she mumbled, not realizing that Aerith might not have heard her.

More rustling. Aerith wrapped her arm around Tifa's as much as she could through the brawler's sleeping bag. Tifa nearly jumped at the sudden touch.

"You know, I always pegged you for someone a little more cheerful than this!"

Tifa chewed on her lower lip even more. "I'm sorry…" She turned to her side again and held Aerith's hand. "I just… I guess I haven't had a lot of reason to really… believe in anything but myself. Which… which I have a hard enough time doing…" She took a deep breath. "After I met Barret, I believed in him, and in Avalanche. I believe in Cloud. I believe in _you_." She exhaled slowly. "But since I came to Midgar, I just find it so hard to believe in anything I can't see or… hit."

Aerith hummed again, contemplative. She didn't answer right away, instead just rubbing her thumb across the back of Tifa's hand. The martial artist almost felt the need to speak again when Aerith finally responded.

"I think for me… well, I've been able to… hear others my entire life. For a long time, I didn't understand it, and it scared me." She squeezed Tifa's hand a little tighter. "I realized as I got older that what I heard was the Planet. And I eventually embraced my heritage… though it took a long time. So now… now I pray."

She brought their hands up so they rested between their faces. Tifa could feel Aerith's breath against her fingers as she spoke.

"I pray to the Planet to see if it can help me understand. I pray to the Planet for guidance. Sometimes… when I miss someone… I pray to see if I can feel them out there somewhere. Or if I can feel that they have returned to the Planet…"

Tifa heard a pang of sadness in Aerith's tone. She nearly inquired further, but the flower girl spoke in her usual bright voice again.

"I know it can be hard to believe in something when you've been through a lot. And I can tell that you have." Aerith kissed her hand. "But if you would ever like to pray with me, you'd be more than welcome."

Tifa smiled, feeling the corners of her eyes sting. She reached out and wrapped her other arm around Aerith.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Aerith hugged her back. Soon enough, they drifted off to sleep.

As time went on, Tifa found herself praying more. At first, to nothing in particular, then to every god she could think of when things got really bad. But eventually, she settled for just praying to her friend, because at least Tifa knew she would hear her thoughts.


	26. Magic

**AN: **Feb 26 Prompt was "Magic."

Summary: Tifa finds herself enamored with the mesmerizing new dancer.

Tags: AU, fluff, romance

* * *

The first time Tifa saw her act, she was mesmerized.

She'd been part of this traveling circus for a long time as an acrobat, and sometimes even did strength challenges with patrons before a show. Tifa had joined as a child, the proprietor taking her under his wing and off of the street when he saw her hanging from a low tree branch in order to steal food.

_"Join me. You can see the world! Be free!"_

At least she was eating three times a day now. And she did have the chance to see so much more than the gutter she'd been used to.

Lately, the circus had been struggling a bit. A couple of weeks ago, he'd brought up adding a new act. Someone who would bring some new life to the party and put fire in everyone's bellies again. Tifa hadn't thought much of it, more focused on adding new tricks to her own act in order to wow the patrons they had.

But when she sat down in the tent to observe the new addition, she didn't expect to be amazed like this.

The backflap opened, and a woman around her age emerged. She was wearing a pink cotton dress that went down to her ankles with brown boots. Her green eyes were gentle and soft. Her long brown hair flowed down her back, only held in place by a pink ribbon tied around her head. She screamed femininity - a trait Tifa had never associated with herself - as she gracefully approached the center of the ring but was otherwise unassuming. The proprietor hadn't said anything about her act, so the acrobat didn't know exactly what to expect.

She pulled a long red ribbon from her sleeve and began a dance, closing her eyes. She glided around the ring as the satin flowed and curved in the air and around her body, and Tifa found herself entranced. She couldn't look away, her eyes trained on the dancer's delicate but powerful moves.

Green particles began to twinkle around the ribbon as she danced faster. Soon enough, they were flowing with her and filling the tent with a soft, pulsating light.

When she was done, Tifa realized she'd been holding her breath. As she exhaled, the tension releasing from her shoulders, the woman opened her eyes and met her gaze. Tifa could only stare back as everyone around her slowly gathered their senses and applauded.

The proprietor introduced her, but Tifa didn't hear what he was saying. The woman smiled and nodded to everyone, but her eyes lingered on Tifa for much longer than everyone else's. A few minutes later, the proprietor escorted her into the back.

When he returned, he said, "Tifa!"

She shook her head, snapping out of her reverie. "Yeah?"

"Help Aerith get acquainted with the grounds tonight! She needs to be ready for tomorrow's show!"

_Aerith_.

She repeated her name in her head for the rest of the afternoon while she trained. At the end of her session, she noticed the woman standing near the back of the room.

"Hi!" Aerith greeted as the acrobat approached her.

"Hey." Tifa wiped her forehead with a towel and threw it into a pile to be laundered later.

"You're amazing."

Tifa blinked at the compliment. She wasn't expecting her to say that.

"You're so strong! To be able to throw yourself between the bars like that – and being able to grab them! When you're in motion!"

The acrobat found herself smiling – **hard.**

"Th-thank you! I've been doing this for a long time now." As they walked out of the tent she asked, "How long have you been dancing?"

Aerith hummed, her hands behind her back as they walked between the tents. "A few years. I've been able to earn some money here and there, but the idea of joining a circus is so… thrilling!"

"Yeah?"

"I've never left this city before. I'm excited to see what else is out there."

Tifa nodded as they stopped in front of the bathhouse. "I understand. I was like that too." She glanced at the building. "I need to wash up but… after dinner I'll show you around, okay?"

Aerith winked. "I look forward to it."

At dinner they sat next to each other, laughing and joking and never taking their eyes off of one another. They walked around the grounds hand in hand, Aerith asking questions and Tifa telling her everything she knew.

And when the night ended, Aerith surprised her by kissing her goodnight.

Tifa surprised herself when she went in for another.

And she found it more magical than the dance.


	27. Lost

**AN: **Feb 27 Prompt is "Lost."

Summary: Tifa finds herself lost at sea.

Tags: AU, suspense, tragedy

* * *

They think they are lost until…

"Land, ho!"

Then the first streak of lightning rips through the sky.

The storm felt like it had been coming on all afternoon, dark clouds rolling in languidly. The waves crashed against the ship with more intensity as the hours crept by.

But Tifa was hopeful it would stay off for just a few more. At least until they got closer to the shore. They had debated about waiting one more day, but she had insisted.

_Stupid! Stupid!_

The ship is in a tizzy now, the crew running back and forth to secure as many things as possible. Rain is falling suddenly and in sheets. She covers her head and runs inside to the main cabin.

"Papa!"

He's bent over a table with a map pinned in all the corners. The table is sliding to and fro along with everything else in the room.

"Tifa!" He looks up at her, his eyes wide as he tries to gain control of his balance. "You need to hang onto something!"

She is currently clutching the threshold into the room.

"But what about the necklace?"

Brian shakes his head. "It's not important now!"

The ship rolls. Her nails dig into the wood, her knees threatening to buckle.

"It _is_ important! Papa, if we lose it, all of this is for not—"

A sickening groan thunders in her ears over the blaring sirens. Things begin to go sideways. Tifa loses her balance and slides down the hallway.

"Tifa!" she hears her father scream, but she can no longer see him.

Water is rushing in now. She gulps down the panic rising in her chest and starts to crawl her way back toward the room with her father.

"Papa!" she shouts over the cacophony. The sea is up to her knees now.

The ship is sinking fast.

When she finally reaches the room, she sees her father pinned between the table and the wall. She swallows again – **hard **– and makes her way to him.

"Honey, get _out _of here!" His own voice is frantic. He's struggling against the lopsided furniture.

"No!" She leverages herself against an overturned chair and looks him in the eye. "You're more important than that necklace." She begins pushing against the table to help him get it off.

The room is getting darker. Tifa looks up to see blackness seeping around the windows. Her heart thuds, pulsating in her ears, but she bites down her fear.

The table is barely moving.

One of the windows starts to crack.

Her father puts a hand on hers. She looks up, her eyes stinging.

"Get out of here Tifa."

She gulps, shaking her head furiously. "No, Papa, please, we can—"

The crack extends. Brian manages to free something from his pocket and hands it to her, pushing her away.

"_Now!_"

Tifa lets out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, but it comes out a choked sob.

"Papa… please."

"_You_ are the most important thing on this ship. You must survive. Now _go!"_

She looks up. Several windows are cracked, water seeping through. Tifa takes one more look at her father, squeezes his hand, and begins to quickly wade out of the room. As she crosses the threshold, she puts on the necklace.

Glass breaks. Tifa turns back and sees the room flooding rapidly. Her father doesn't take his eyes off of her, pleading with her to keep going.

The water in the hallway is up to her waist now, but she still makes her way for the stairs that lead up to higher ground. Just as she reaches them, a torrent washes her out and through the ship. She only has a couple of seconds to take a deep breath. She bangs against a few things she can't even see, and something thumps her on the side of her head.

The water is murky and black, but she can still tell darkness is seeping in the corners of her vision. Her chest is tight, her body screaming for air, but she can't open her mouth.

Tifa can barely see the moon through the water. It's the only thing telling her which way is up, but her limbs feel too heavy to move. She's drifting, getting further and further away from it.

_Nothing…_

The moon fades away.


	28. Found

**AN: **Feb 28 Prompt is "Found."

Summary: Cloud and Zack discover a distress signal.

Tags: AU, suspense, reunions

* * *

"We're ready to go below sir!"

Cloud nods and sends the crewman on his way. He turns to his partner, who scratches the scar on his cheek.

"The storm is gonna be a bad one," Zack comments.

"Then we'll have to continue the search from—"

A rhythmic beeping interrupts his train of thought. They both look to the pilot, who presses several buttons in rapid succession.

"There's a distress signal. A ship not too far from ours."

The men stare at one another. Their thoughts are the same.

_Have we found them?_

Cloud wastes no time making his way through the submarine to the lockout hatch. He is nearly done putting on his suit when Zack's voice crackles in his ear.

"We're getting closer. Looks like the ship's going down."

Cloud zips up his suit and puts his helmet on. A second is in his hands.

"Ready."

Water fills the small chamber. Once the pressure equalizes, a mechanism inside of the door clicks, and it swings open. His visor flashes with signals and he turns west. He spots someone immediately, a woman drifting deeper into the sea.

Her hair spreads around her so he can't see her face. Her arms are stretched forward like she is reaching for something.

He is with her in minutes, placing the extra helmet over her head. With the press of a button, it releases the water and seals around her neck. Her eyes remain closed.

"I have someone." Cloud tugs her back to the submarine, not wanting to waste any time. Even though she has air now, she might still need CPR.

More are swimming out of the sub now to find other possible survivors. He focuses on his charge and silently wishes them well.

Zack meets him at the lockout hatch and helps him get her to the infirmary. She still hasn't opened her eyes. Zack takes her helmet off as Cloud removes his own and zips his suit down halfway to free his arms. Zack starts to treat the gash on the side of her head. Cloud's face hovers over hers.

He doesn't feel air coming out of her nose or mouth. Cloud places two fingers on her neck, another two on her wrist, and feels nothing. Zack begins to rip her blouse open, but suddenly stops and stares.

"What?" Cloud asks, following his gaze. His eyes widen slightly once he spots the silver pendant around her neck. He studies her face again.

_It's been years. She's older now, of course, but... could it be...?_

He and Zack exchange looks, and Cloud immediately folds his fingers together and begins chest compressions. He counts out loud as he does it, and after a minute, he checks again to see if she is breathing.

Still nothing.

Cursing, Cloud tilts her head back and lifts her chin. He pinches her nose, seals her mouth with his own, and breathes. He continues the chest compressions, going in cycles.

By the third round, he's beginning to lose hope.

He pinches her nose again to breathe into her mouth. She jerks, and he steps back.

She coughs water out violently. Both men sigh in relief and help her sit up.

"Take it easy," Zack soothes. "We got you."

She blinks, glancing between both of them as she gets her wits about her.

"Wh-who…" she rasps, staring at Cloud.

Recognition floods into her eyes as she spots the tattoo on his chest. It matches the mountain symbol on her necklace.

"Are you…?"

Zack takes her hand. "Glad we found you, Princess."

She shakes her head. "I hate that. Don't call me that, please—" She gasps. "My father. Is he…?"

He squeezes. "We don't know yet, but we'll tell you as soon as we find anything else."

"Commander Fair, we need you on the bridge!"

Zack gently kisses the bandage covering her temple. "You're in good hands." He winks at the blonde before departing.

Tifa coughs again, clutching the pendant. "You recognized me because of this, didn't you?" She lets out a shaky breath. "I haven't seen you in so long… maybe you forgot what I looked like otherwise."

Cloud steps closer to the bed. "What matters now is that you can come back."

"How did you know we'd be out here…?"

He shrugs. "Someone sent us a letter telling us our _disgraced_ king would be returning. The resistance has been organizing for years, so we were ready for this. We knew he couldn't come back unless he had the pendant." Cloud scratches the back of his head. "And we knew you'd be with him."

She finally meets his gaze, tears brimming, and throws her arms around his neck. He kisses her cheek and hugs her back tightly.

"I missed you," she whispers. "I'm so glad to see you again."

"Me too Teef. Welcome home."


	29. Memory

**AN: **Last prompt! Last day!

Prompt for Feb 29 is "Memory."

Summary: There are some things he'll never remember. But there are some things he promises to never forget.

Tags: canon, romance, fluff, family

* * *

For a while, Cloud was terrified of losing his memories again. This horrible feeling would creep into his mind when he forgot something, even small things that most normal people would forget, like picking something up from the store or leaving his laundry in the dryer.

Tifa was afraid, too, of not remembering things, though not to the same extent as Cloud. But they'd both been manipulated about their pasts so much. They understood the flash of worry that crossed the other's face as they tried to recall something.

_Did I leave the stove on?_

_Did I get everything on the list?_

_Where did I put those tools?_

But they reassured each other constantly as well.

_"It's alright, don't worry."_

_"It's just one thing."_

_"We can get it tomorrow."_

As time went on, they trusted their memories more and relied on each other.

And then their daughter was born.

They both had the same thoughts, though they didn't know it.

_Is this really happening right now?_

_Will I remember this moment?_

Tifa _wouldn't _remember much of the day as it turned out. Once they got to the hospital – at four in the morning because babies wait for no one – Tifa was in so much agony they had to drug her. What scared Cloud the most was that she wasn't screaming or crying, but just staring, breathing hard through clenched teeth, holding his hand so tightly he thought she might break it. She was so quiet compared to what he thought she should be like right now, but the pain was etched in her face. When the doctor asked her to put it on a scale, she exhaled a long breath and wheezed,

"Eleven."

Considering everything she's been through, if this was _that_ painful…

_I did this to her. She's going to kill me._

The doctor reassured him that everything would be fine. They stuck a huge needle into her spine. Cloud's eyes went wide at the sight of it. He hated seeing her like this, unable to do anything about it.

_Remember this!_

He blinked. This part might be terrible now, but something wonderful was happening. He had to remember it.

Cloud impressed upon his mind the way Tifa seemed to relax just a little after they'd given her the drug. He focused on her breathing, on her face, sweat sticking her bangs to her forehead and cheeks as she followed the doctor's instructions. He felt the skin of her hand against his own as she held on, gripping tightly whenever she pushed, loosening her grip when she got to relax. His own words echoed in his head.

"You're okay. You're doing great. I love you. Almost there."

Words that had sounded mechanical as they practiced them before, but now… now these words were part of this moment. And they were all true.

He pressed his forehead against her temple.

"You got this. I'm here."

She nodded against him, her chest heaving.

"One more push," the doctor said.

Tifa took a deep breath. Cloud squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"One more Teef."

She strained, yelling as she did it.

Crying.

Cloud looked up as Tifa slumped back against the bed. He stared at the doctor, whose arms were still between his wife's raised legs.

But he heard the crying. The soft, strong crying.

This… he would remember this.

Cloud looked back at Tifa. Her head was turned to the side. She was trying to catch her breath, but he could see tears in her eyes. He pushed her bangs back and kissed her forehead.

"You're okay."

She gazed up at him with a weak smile.

"Congratulations!"

They both turned back to the doctor. In his arms was their baby, wrapped in a white towel.

"You have a beautiful baby girl."

Cloud's throat closed up.

"We're going to clean her up, and then we'll bring her to you."

He only nodded, unable to speak. He got a tiny glimpse as the nurse left the room with their daughter, and Cloud saw she had dark hair.

Another nurse finished with Tifa and left them in the room alone. That's when he noticed she was crying.

"Teef? What's wrong?" he finally managed to get out. He sat on the bed and held her close, kissing her forehead. She didn't respond right away. Her quiet sobs were the only noise in the room besides the beeping machines.

"Cloud."

He looked down at her. Gentle tears flowed down her cheeks, but she was smiling.

"Tifa…"

"Our… baby girl."

_Our… baby girl…_

The doctor came back into the room with their daughter swaddled in a new, fresh blanket. He handed her to Tifa, who delicately took the baby into her arms, cooing. She looked up at Cloud, then back down at their baby.

"She is beautiful, isn't she?"

When Tifa glanced back up at him, he was only staring. His mouth opened to say something, but the words never came.

Instead, he cried.

And as he held Tifa in his arms, with Stella in hers, Marlene and Denzel rushing into the room with Barret in tow, he vowed to never forget any of this for as long as he lived.


End file.
